1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to louvered window assemblies and, more specifically, to a louvered window insert having a telescoping frame and louver blades which would allow an installer to easily adjust the width of the insert to that of a window sash by placing it inside an open window and sliding the opposing frame ends outward until the sides of the louver frame are flush against the side jambs of said window and then closing the window until it sits atop the assembly. The telescoping louvered window insert comprises a first frame section having an upper horizontal member and a lower horizontal member connected to one another at one end by a vertical member having a plurality of horizontal louver blades fixedly or pivotally attached thereto with the distal end of each louver blade having a recess or cavity that extends longitudinally therethrough and a second frame member having louver blades of a size sufficient to slide securely within the recesses or cavities of the corresponding louver blades of the first frame sections. The horizontal members of the first frame section have retaining cavities or recesses to receive the horizontal members of the second frame section thereby allowing the width of the entire assembly to collapse or expand as needed within limited parameters. The present invention will provide windows with elemental protection when ventilation is desired and can be easily removed and installed in various sized windows as needed. The present invention could also be fabricated of a translucent or transparent material so as to provide the passage of light through said telescoping louvered window insert.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other louvered assemblies designed for windows. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,738 issued to William A. Matzke on Jul. 13, 1976.
Another patent was issued to Mitsuo Nagase on Nov. 19, 1976 as U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,533. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,064,670 was issued to Roger A. Lichtenwald on Dec. 27, 1977 and still yet another was issued on Aug. 1, 1978 to Robert W. Olsen as U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,468.
Another patent was issued to James Sterriker et al. on Jun. 5, 1984 as U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,024. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,728 was issued to Kouichi Takano on Aug. 28, 1990. Another was issued to Anderson Hailey on Apr. 20, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,394 and still yet another was issued on Oct. 11, 1994 to Shinji Tamikawa as U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,565. One other patent was issued to James C. Aarness as U.S. Pat. No. 5,950,384.
An assembly of plastic louver strips secured by two vertical frames having cut out portions into which the louver strips extend. Louver strips which are flexible can be snapped into place after the frame is in place. Flexible strips can also be removed for cleaning. The vertical frames are slidably assembled into basic frame members and when in place form a space into which the ends of the louvers are positioned.
A combination louver and window sash assembly includes a plurality of louver boards extending horizontally and each having a cross-section of substantially inverted-Y shape. A pair of parallel, vertical sash frames having vertically extending slots faced in opposed relation to one another and including pairs of cutout recesses formed in the marginal edges of the slots. The louver boards have their horizontal ends thrusted resiliently through the slots and received snappingly in the cutout recesses.
A substantially rainproof louver for mounting in an outside wall of an enclosure. The louver has a perimeter frame and plurality of blades extending across the frame, the blades being upwardly inclined from the outer edges to their inner edges. Each of the blades has a gutter element extending along its outer, lower edge. The gutter element is defined by the lowermost portion of the blade, a vertical flange and a downwardly and inwardly inclined anti-splash lip at the upper edge of the vertical flange, the anti-splash lip overlying, at least in part, the lowermost portion of the blade and extending toward the blade.
A drainable blade louver comprises a pair of spaced-apart vertical members supporting a multiplicity of elongated, horizontally extending, inclined blades, each of which is of uniform cross section along its length. Each blade has an upwardly open front drainage trough located adjacent the front edge of the blade and at least one second upwardly open drainage trough located in at least about the front one-third of the blade closely adjacent the front trough. Each of the troughs is defined by spaced-apart front and back walls, the upper edges of which are preferably located in a plane substantially parallel to the airflow streams passing between the blades, and a bottom wall spaced a substantial distance below the upper edges of the front and back walls such that the splash from water drops impinging on the bottom walls of the troughs is largely confined to the zone bounded by the walls of the troughs thereby minimizing entrainment of water in the airflow streams.
A louver in which some louver blades have water breaks for catching water that drops onto such louver blade from above. A top cap includes a lip portion which has an inwardly directed lower portion which directs water onto a louver located beneath the top cap.
A louver device comprises a main body formed of a flexible sheet-like material. A large number of slits are formed in the main body such that the portions between the adjacent slits constitute slats. The louver device also comprises holding/deforming means for shearing at least part of the main body in the direction of the surfaces of the main body. The shearing force applied to the main body serves to twist the end of the slats, thereby slanting the slats.
The triangular shape of the louvers allow light to pass through the first and second color-tinted adjacent sides to add a soft color hue to a room. The third side of the triangular louver is opaque and acts much the same as does a common blind when used to block the light from entering a room. The third side may, however have a decorative scene or pattern on one it to present a pleasant scene to the onlooker. The third side has a rotation restriction and alignment tab on it to align the third sides of the louvers so that the decorative pattern or scene is clearly illustrated and that the louver is positioned to properly block the light. Each louver is removably attached to a support system in such a manner that the louvers may be rotated to allow light to pass through two of the adjacent sides and then be rotated so that the opaque third side is parallel to the window or door and restricts the passage of the light.
A louvered window assembly comprises a fixed window unit B fixedly fitted on a rear side within a window opening A, a louver unit C being slightly less in height and width than the window opening A and to be fitted on a front side within the window opening A, and means for releasably fitting the louver unit C within the window opening A. The louver-unit fitting means comprises a support bracket 31 fastened to the front side of the fixed window B, a hanger bracket 32 fastened to the rear side of the louver unit C and coming into engagement with the support bracket 31, a louver header 20 fastened to the front side of an upper inside surface A3 of the window opening A, a pair of louver jambs 22, 22 fastened one on the front side of each vertical inside surface A3, an upper horizontal clip 40 joined to the front side of the header 20 so as to cover the front side of an upper edge of the louver unit C; and a pair of vertical clip 45 joined one to the outside of each louver jamb so as to cover the outside of the lateral edge of the louver unit C.
A sheet metal ventilation louver is fabricated out of two types of blades, a center and a top/bottom blade, that are shaped in a manner that permits their slidable engagement with an outer support frame. The side panels making up the outer frame are fabricated out of sheet metal rectangles that have been bent, with slots formed in the bent areas at locations enabling the slidable receipt of the blades within the side panel slots. An outer frame then fits around the side panels, retaining both the side panels and their received blades in position, completing the ventilation louver.
The present invention discloses a louvered window insert comprising two louvered frame sections each having one vertical member with an upper and lower horizontal member extending from each end thereof and a plurality of louver blades extending horizontally therebetween. The distal ends of the horizontal members and louver blades of the first section have recesses to receive and slidably secure the horizontal members and louver blades of the second section as they travel therethrough allowing a user to size the insert to a window simply by placing the fully overlapped assembly inside an open window and separating the two frame sections thereby reducing the overlap of the horizontal members and the louvers and effectively elongating the insert until the two vertical members are flush to their respective side jambs and then lowering the window until it sits atop the present invention. An additional embodiment is provided wherein the louver blades are generally flat with one blade having curved edges for receiving the second blade. An additional embodiment discloses a storm window frame adapter along with a storm window track adapter. Also, a tensioning means is provided for securing the upper and lower horizontal frame members to each other.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert that will overcome the shortcomings of prior art devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert to allow ventilation through an open window while preventing elements such as heavy rains from entering.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert wherein the frame and louvers come in two sections of a similar length with the length of one section traveling within the recesses of the second section with at least some overlap to allow the user to nearly double the width of the insert from the fully overlapped position enabling the user to install one insert in windows of varying dimensions.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert that can be installed and removed quickly and easily by the user as needed.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert fabricated of a translucent or transparent material to allow light to pass through when the present invention is in use.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert wherein the louvers could be pivotally or fixedly attached to the frame sections.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert wherein the first frame section has a vertical stabilizer bar extending distally from the upper horizontal member to the lower horizontal member and attached to the louvers to prevent the louver blades from sagging when in an extended position.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert having storm window track adapters which snap onto the outer sides of the vertical members of the two frame sections with each track adapter having a slot extending distally to rest against the exterior portion of a storm window frame when the present invention is installed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert having a storm window frame adapter having a bottom side with a window insert frame retaining recess that snaps onto the upper horizontal member of the first frame section and having an upper side with a storm window frame retaining recess to accept the bottom portion of a storm window frame when used in conjunction with the storm window track adapters.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert wherein the storm window frame adapter has protrusions which lock into corresponding recesses located on an upper portion of the horizontal member of the first frame section thereby securing the adapter to the frame.
One other object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert having a locking mechanism to prevent the second frame section from sliding within the first frame section when the assembly is in place until the operator disengages said locking mechanism for removal or adjustment of the present invention.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert that is simple and easy to use.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert that is economical in cost to manufacture.
One other object of the present invention is to provide a telescoping louvered window insert having a resistance or securing mechanism including but not limited to tension springs or pin and recess locks to inhibit unwanted travel of the second frame section within the first frame section.
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact; however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.